FDA appears to violate its own principles by allowing Russian pollock to be sold as 'Alaska pollock'
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [News Analysis] by John Sackton August 14, 2014
The recent decision by Russian authorities to ban the sale of US fish and seafood has led some in the US to ask why the US should not implement a retaliatory ban on imports of Russian Seafood. That decision would obviously take place in a wider context, and would be up to the President and Congress.
But there is a trade nomenclature issue that is glaring; and would require nothing more than a simple re-examination by the FDA of its labeling practices for Alaska pollock.
Currently pollock of the species Theragra chalcogramma, found in both Alaska and Russia, has the FDA legal market name of 'Alaska Pollock' or Pollock.
Thus consumers who may want to purchase American seafood are understandably confused when they see a label that says 'Alaska Pollock' and Product of Russia.
Seafood consumers often have strong reaction to country of origin label information, as evidenced by several criminal cases brought by the FDA against companies that sought to falsify their product's origin.
IN their labeling guidelines, the FDA recognizes this issue, and says emphatically that "A name that is false or misleading is not an acceptable market name...
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